New house update

Sunday, October 11, 2009

New house update…

Well, as one would expect, things haven’t really moved much since the shire dropped their last-minute bombshell on the building licence. Ross had to really slam on the skids with the building but has been working furiously to hurry along the development application. (Here is a picture of Ross working furiously…) Current status is that the application is with the planning department who have agreed to fastrack the application – both Ross and I have spoken with Tanica (I call her Tamico just to keep up the required level of assertiveness for dealing with such situations) who will keep things ticking along for us (we hope).

As I am now travelling (another story) Ross will now be pushing our barrow on a daily basis – fingers crossed for approval within a week, however it is possible the shire definition of “fasttrack” is different to ours. Still, there have still been small steps forward. Trucks have still been arriving, getting bogged and dropping their wares – more roof trusses, beams and bits and pieces. The road down to the back is very boggy in patches, with the worst hole at the new house laneway corner (picture) and has been a problem for the delivery trucks, however that is vastly improved now the dryer weather has arrived. (I am in a moral dilemna – have planted 500 rudis which love to be up to their first branches in swamp water, right at the end of the planting season when they will possibly not get enough water to survive their first year. I am torn between wanting beautiful weather so building can progress and wanting rain to give the trees a chance at life! I have put my wish in for beautiful sunny spring days with record rains at nights!)

Have also started planting trees around the house area (Why not? I have thousands of them!!) I started a row of peppies and rudis along the end of the laneway and into the new house driveway – I am hoping they won’t be in the way of any future earthworks we need to do there. Planted two rows of rudis along the eastern fence from the Dam Two peppies down to the corner of the boundary – think this is needed to screen the neighbours “mansion” but have tried to avoid obsuring our view of the “lake”. (Picture below but doesn’t really show the area clearly – there is probably about 60-80 trees planted there.) Also planted 10 in the area behind the house, around Dam Three – third attempt in this area – am really going to have to keep my eye on them when the sheep come home!
Had a last planning session with Ross too – plumbing, electircal and shed (need to get drawings to him asap with layouts of all wet rooms for the plumber (have done but changed my mind a few times!) Spent some time visiting bathroom and kitchen showrooms which was useful – should have done that ages ago but never got around to it!